A lot of people want to become digital nomads, as the freedom to work from anywhere you happen to be in the world is such an alluring prospect. Just imagine: You can be leisurely creating graphics in between dive sessions in the Maldives, or enjoying an après-ski drink in Switzerland before a conference call. Isn’t that just wonderful?
However, the digital nomad lifestyle entails a lot of hard work, discipline, and flexibility. Things won’t always go your way, and you have to be prepared for all sorts of mishaps. But there are some people who make it work, and who look good doing so.
Enter Pinsi Lei. This Guam native hustled hard as a freelancer and eventually built her own creative marketing agency. This gave her the freedom to work from nearly any destination in the world, her only requirement being a stable internet connection. We got to chat with her about her lifestyle as a creative nomad and how she keeps in touch with her loved ones while she’s on the go, and she dishes some helpful advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Read on!
Hi Pinsi! Can you share some cool trivia about yourself so our readers can get to know you better?
I grew up in Guam, a beautiful island in the South Pacific, and moved to the States for college. The day after my college graduation, I drove to New York City in a rental car with my life’s belongings; jobless yet determined to live here. The energy and endless possibilities of this city drew me in and keep me from leaving.
Two years after college, I started Pinsi Lei Creative with a handful of clients I acquired while freelancing. Today, my creative marketing agency specializes in working with female-led businesses in wellness and education.
I love sharing my day-to-day NYC life and travels on my Instagram @pinsilei. Since my work is digital and remote, I have the flexibility to set up shop from any destination that has WiFi. I’m actually typing this a few steps from the Caribbean Sea right now!
We love your travel photos on Instagram. Which destinations are on your bucket list this summer? Why did you choose them?
I returned from Toronto a couple of weeks ago for business and I’m currently in Cancun. I found a great deal on the trip last week and booked it for this week. Living among skyscrapers in NYC makes me miss the beach and greenery.
I also just booked a cruise that stops in Belize, Honduras, and Mexico for next month. I guess you can’t take the island out of the girl?
Later this summer I’ll be going to China to celebrate my paternal grandmother’s 90th birthday. I haven’t seen my extended family in five years so I’m very excited about this reunion.
Traveling is always beguiling, but we wonder, how do you stay connected to your friends and family back home while you’re away?
I keep in touch with my friends from all over the world through social media. I DM my friends on Instagram daily and WeChat with my parents. We leave each other many voice messages and my father’s been on a roll with sending me funny articles and links.
My parents have a Nixplay frame and so does my husband’s grandparents. I love the Nixplay product because we can share our most current travel photos with the family seamlessly and in real-time.
Speaking of staying connected: You’re a Guam native who’s now conquering NYC. Do you ever get homesick? How do you deal with it?
I actually don’t get homesick, but I do miss the beach! My Chinese zodiac is the horse and I’d like to think I’m like a wild horse untethered by geography, free-roaming the earth. Very poetic, right?
How has Nixplay helped you stay connected to your loved ones while you’re on your adventures? Can you share how you’re using your Nixplay frame?
[My husband and I] gifted my parents and my husband’s grandparents Nixplay Frames last Christmas. I’m also gifting my father-in-law a Nixplay for Father’s Day this year! I can’t wait to see the surprise on his face.
Some of the albums we rotate on their frames include photos from our wedding and our travels.
It’s a great way to share beautiful past memories and also keep them updated on our current lives. I love that I can share my Instagram photos directly to their frames!
Since we can upload any image, I’m thinking of adding little surprise messages for my family members, especially during birthdays and holidays. My parents will especially appreciate this since I’ve been living on the other side of the world for over a decade ago.
How have you leveraged social media and your travel stories as an entrepreneur?
Besides working with hotels and restaurants as a travel influencer, I love to find female-led businesses to highlight at each destination. I think it’s important to support local businesswomen and share their stories. I also love it when my followers message me their local recommendations and I can, in turn, share them with my online audience.
Any tips for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to follow in your footsteps?
Someone just asked me this question on Instagram, and here’s what I responded:
- Ask for help
- Make business besties
- Stop second guessing your decisions
- Promote yourself more than you think you need to
- Start a notebook of small victories and reflect on them often
Learn more about Pinsi by following her on Instagam at @pinsilei. Don’t forget to watch her stories about life in NYC and abroad!